Joy of Country Living

…and call me in the morning. I like to think I’m in pretty good physical shape …. that is until I helped David with his projects like this last weekend.   After that experience, I have sore muscles in places I didn’t know I had muscles. And, lucky me, there wasn’t just one … but two such muscle-straining projects to contend with. First one was to go down (I say ‘go down’ because if you remember – working at the well house is like taking a short trip) and finish putting the well house back together. Not too bad – but dancing around the poison ivy made it more difficult than necessary. And, after my latest bout with that pesky weed, I’m very careful where I step and what I touch. Second job was pouring 13 bags of cement (80 pounds each) – downhill – behind the little red barn to stop the erosion from the rain water coming off the garage roof. That one was equally challenging.

Either one of these would have been more than enough by itself – but two !?! . . . then you add in the ‘boy toys’. I’m sure you’ve all heard the old saying, “The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.”. Both of these projects afforded David the opportunity to use two of his new ‘boy toys’ – the cement mixer which we bought a while back and his pride and joy – his new saw. It’s the one that has the two blades that go in opposite directions allowing it to cut through anything! Which I have to say – it performed as advertised. We had to cut cement board and some acrylic sheets for the well house – no problemo. So, if any of you are thinking about buying one of these saws for your significant other – they do work. Just be sure to get the saw with the 10amp engine – a little more expensive but anything less and the motor tends to burn up . . . or so I’m told.  (The actual name is Rigid Twin-Blade circular saw – 10Amp )

I’m not going into anymore of the details on pouring the cement other than to say the mixer worked equally as well as the saw and …. I’m just glad to be through with both projects.

We’ve gotten totally hooked on fried potato skins. In fact, I’ve found that if I dredge them in Zatarin’s Fish Fry mixed with a sprinkling of Paul Prudhomme’s blackened seasonings before frying, they are even better. But, we don’t like eating – and I might add,  can’t eat -  fried skins plus a pot of mashed potatoes in one day, it’s just too much . . .  so I’ve taken to keeping which ever part we’re going to save for another day -     skins or peeled potatoes – totally submerged in a bowl of water in the fridge.   I’ve found they keep quite well for at least a couple of days.  I don’t even add anything to the water – as long as they are completely submerged,  they won’t turn brown.

While looking the other day for a new way to fix my peeled potatoes – I remembered a recipe my mom (nickname Charlie) used to fix many years ago. I’m not sure what it was originally called, or even where she got the recipe – but I decided to try and re-create it based solely on memory – and, I’m not even going to tell you how many years I had to go back to remember this one!

I did remember it being layers of sliced potatoes, onions and cheese (sounds like au gratin doesn’t it) – but then she would take a mixture of egg, milk, salt and pepper and pour over the top and bake it all. I’ve modernized it a bit – for a faster cooking time and a little thicker bonding by using some corn starch in the egg/milk mixture. We enjoy it and it reheats well if you have any left overs. Since I don’t have a name for this dish – I’ll just call it …

Charlie’s Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• Thinly sliced 4 russet potatoes;  pre-cooked in the microwave for about 8-10 minutes. You don’t want them mushy – so depending on your microwave you may need to adjust the time downwards here.
• Thinly sliced onion rings - 1/2 medium-sized onion
• 4 ounces of finely grated cheese (we like the Mexican 4 mixed cheeses you can buy already grated – but Cheddar or American will work, what ever you like)
• 2 tablespoons of butter cut into about 8-10 thin slices
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 heaping teaspoon of corn starch
• salt, pepper – to taste
• 1-1/2 quart casserole dish

Directions:

1.  Spray the casserole with Pam or use an additional tablespoon of butter to coat the bottom and sides (keeps everything from sticking and makes for a nice crust)

2.  Begin layering the ingredients as follows …

Half of the potatoes, half of the sliced onions, 4-5 butter slices placed on top of onions, half of the grated cheese

Repeat the process using the remainder of the potatoes, onions, butter and cheese

3.  In a bowl mix the eggs, milk, corn starch, salt, and pepper with a whisk until smooth, and then pour evenly over the top of the layered casserole (Don’t worry about it too much as it will fill in between the potatoes and rest of ingredients)

4.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and bubbly.

Note: If you use less ingredients, i.e. potatoes, or if your casserole dish is larger – so the layers of potatoes, onions, etc. are thinner – you’ll need to adjust the cooking time so they don’t burn.

PS – It rained most of  Wednesday afternoon and the fall colors were spectacular – so just had to upload a few pictures I took from the front porch so you could see how pretty everything is.  This is one of those years that the trees are exceptionally colorful. 

When we moved to the country there was absolutely nothing here – no trees, no flowers, nothing. So I started planting trees – specifically trees outside my kitchen windows. This was because I spend so much time in the kitchen – I wanted to look at something pretty.   Well – 12 years later – my vision is real.

The evergreen trees look like something you’d expect to see in the mountains and my sassafras tree has prettier fall colors than the maple we planted in the front yard. It is especially striking when the afternoon light hits it – it just seems to light up and is absolutely gorgeous.

Want to know the best thing about the sassafras tree? ….. I didn’t plant it – it came up all by itself and is perfectly placed for me to enjoy just outside my windows.

Ever feel bombarded by ads and all the claims they make? I do. So, for those that have been thinking about buying one of those ‘new’ LED light bulbs -read this before you buy.

We bought an LED light bulb thinking we’d use it in the office – with the understanding from what we’d seen and read –  that it would give off lots of ‘white’ light, be cool and use less electricity. That being said, on our last trip to Bryan-College Station we stopped by Home Depot and checked out their LED light bulbs. We were surprised to find that there are lots of them out there. The comparable wattage varied from 15 watts to over 100 as did the applications. Some were recommended for tract or spot lights while others were for lamps and ceiling fixtures. Being that we wanted to use the bulb in a ceiling fixture, we opted for a bulb that was equivalent to 75W regular bulb – thought it might be a bit  much, but since we didn’t have any experience, we felt it was better to err on the side of too much light rather than too little.

Brought our treasure home – I say treasure because they are not cheap. This one light bulb cost over $25.00 plus tax – but since the LED flashlights and lanterns we have work really well, we thought maybe the investment would be worth it. After all, the package touts savings of $196.00 in electricity costs by simply using this bulb!

Once we unloaded the car, checking out the bulb was next on the agenda – even before we changed into our ‘country clothes’. Ugh!!! What a disappointment. The bulb gave off less light than the fluorescent bulb we were currently using. In fact, the room looked like someone has thrown a shade over everything – it was dark. Totally unacceptable. We’d have to have flashlights just to find things that weren’t right under our noses. So back it goes. I don’t know if it would maybe work better in a table lamp, but I’m not inclined to pay $25 for a light bulb for a lamp. Like I say, love the LED flashlights, lanterns and the photography light  we bought is LED and it’s great – but think they’ve got a long way to go on making an LED light bulb that works well – at least that’s my opinion.

Now on to some products I do like. Read an article on Fox News last week about buying beauty products on a budget – who doesn’t like saving money and getting good products. I’ve placed the list of 12 products below with a brief description in case you’d like to give one or more of them a try. I even  bought a few of them myself – prices range anywhere from around $3.50 to $27.99 – not bad. I’ve marked the ones I bought with a little heart.  (Note:  I’ve placed links to Amazon for each product at the bottom of the list – wish I’d waited to buy . . .  they are much cheaper on Amazon than what I paid for them at the store.)

1.   L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Day/Night Cream – ” Formulated to increase your skin’s ability to regenerate, this moisturizer will keep your skin fresh, youthful and silkier than you ever thought possible”

2.   Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil – “A miracle hair-cure …apply just a drop to damp or dry hair and watch it instantly become shiny, smooth and frizz-free. “ (For this one I included an alternate brand as you had to buy 4 of the Organix products)

3.   CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation – “….highly moisturizing, fast absorbing and, unlike most foundations, is capable of covering all your blemishes and imperfections with only a thin layer for a natural look:.

4. L’Oreal Colorist Secret Shine Gloss – “Whether your hair is colored, sprinkled with highlights or au natural, this easy to apply 10-minute treatment will infuse your locks with an instant shot of shine.”

5. Burt’s Bees Naturally Ageless Line Smoothing Eye Cream – “Infused with the anti-oxidant power of pomegranate and other natural age-reversing ingredients, this formula instantly nourishes and revitalizes the delicate eye area while diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”  Wanted this one couldn’t find it – will now get it from Amazon cheaper  :  )

6. Physicians Formula Organic Wear 5X Lash Boosting Mascara – “…..makes your lashes longer than you ever thought possible (without eyelash extensions, anyway) while keeping them soft and free of clumps and flakes for a flirty, fluttery finish. …..it’s all-natural,100 percent free of harsh chemicals and eco-friendly.”  Ditto

7. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer, SPF15 – “…lightweight, gentle formula helps even out skin tone and texture for a smooth, clear complexion.”

8. John Frieda Full Repair Touch-up Flyaway Tamer – “…portable wand polishes broken strands, smoothes flyaways and frayed ends with Inca Inchi oil to keep hair sleek and smooth. Simply brush the wand over dry, styled hair for on-the-go touch-ups and a boost of shine.”

9. St Ives Apricot Scrub – “…exfoliatior a few times a week to slough away dead skin and reveal a gorgeous, glowing complexion.”

10. Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo – “This hair removal duo is easy to use and effectively removes fine to medium facial hair without irritation.”

11. Nivea Tough of Sparkle Cream Oil Body Wash – “…deliciously scented body wash that will invigorate your senses and deeply moisturize and soften your skin.”

12.   Roc Multi-Correction Night Treatment – “….quality anti-aging product, affordable and effective at erasing signs of aging such as brown spots, wrinkles and visible pores.”

Glad to see this week start. My itching is almost gone and I’m ready for fall. Went shopping at the HEB on Saturday and found a new product on the baking aisle that I had to try. It is the HEB brand of seasoned flour. Had been using the Kentucky Kernel brand – but it was expensive (for the amount) – so when I saw the BIG bag of seasoned HEB flour for just a few pennies more – knew I had to try it. Ended up fixing some chicken fried steaks for Sunday.   They were ever bit as good – if not better – than the ones we’d had using the Kentucky Kernel flour. So, from now on it’s HEB seasoned flour for me.

BTW – when I fry my steaks, to keep the breading from falling off, I dip the tenderized steaks in the dry flour before dipping them in the wet dip of egg and buttermilk.  Then it’s back to the dry flour dip and into the pan. 

We’re hoping for a nice week – weather wise – we need to get down and finish the well house. David went down there last week and put down some new 2×4′s and we’ll probably try to get the roof back on by the end of the week.

Whenever we go down there to work – it’s like taking a short trip. We have to take water, food (in case David’s blood sugar drops), tools, and a gun. We take the gun because we never know what we’ll see. Had a fox run across the driveway Saturday when we were leaving and what with all the brush and junk around the well house – there could be snakes, skunks and Lord knows what else hiding down there.

We even saw what we thought was a cougar or mountain lion about 3 weeks ago tearing across the property. Haven’t seen it since – thank goodness.

And, saved the best for last.  Got a new recipe this weekend from Nancy. It’s for an oatmeal cake – that is really yummy and moist. I’m sure she won’t mind if I share it with you – so here goes…..

In a bowl put:

• 1 cup uncooked oats
• 1 stick butter or oleo
• 1-1/4 cup boiling water

Let this sit for about 20 minutes

Mix:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1-1/4 cup sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix well and add oat mixture – Pour into greased and floured pan (13″ x 9″)

Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees and ice with following recipe…

Icing:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 stick butter or oleo

Bring above ingredients to a rolling boil then add….

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Spread on cake and place under broiler until browned

PS – Check out I Can’t Believe It’s Sugar Free – for 2 new chocolate cake recipes.

Coming Soon!

With hunting season right around the corner, if you and your family like jerky you’ll want to get  – Perfect Jerky – everything you need to know about making the best homemade jerky.   There’s also 2 Bonus books that come with it  – some of my favorite dessert recipes and recipes for making your own jerky marinades. 

Things have not been funny around the house this week – I got into some poison ivy last week when working in the yard and have been itching all week. Apparently not only does it cause inflammation to the skin but also impairs the brain because I couldn’t think of anything to write about – so thought I’d post an email I got this week  from a friend  -thanks Hilton – and share a laugh with you.

EMBARRASSING MEDICAL EXAMS

1. A man comes into the ER and yells . . .’My wife’s going to have her baby in the cab.’

I grabbed my stuff, rushed out to the cab, lifted the lady’s dress and began to take off her underwear.

Suddenly I noticed that there were several cabs – - – and I was in the wrong one.

Submitted by Dr. Mark MacDonald , San Francisco

2.. At the beginning of my shift I placed a stethoscope on an elderly and slightly deaf female patient’s anterior chest wall.

‘Big breaths,’. . . I instructed. 

‘Yes, they used to be,’. . . Replied the patient.

Submitted by Dr. Richard Byrnes , Seattle , WA

3. One day I had to be the bearer of bad news when I told a wife that her husband had died of a massive myocardial infarct.

Not more than five minutes later, I heard her  reporting to the rest of the family that he had died of a ‘massive internal fart.’

Submitted by Dr. Susan Steinberg

4. During a patient’s two week follow-up appointment with his cardiologist, he informed me, his doctor, that he was having trouble with One of his medications.

?Which one?’. .. . I asked. ‘The patch… the Nurse told me to put on a new one every six hours and now I’m running out of places to put it!’

I had him quickly undress and discovered what I hoped I wouldn’t see.

Yes, the man had over fifty patches on his body!

Now, the instructions include removal of the old patch before applying a new one.

Submitted by Dr. Rebecca St. Clair , Norfolk , VA

5. While acquainting myself with a new elderly patient, I asked, ‘How long have you been bedridden?’

After a look of complete confusion she answered .. . .

‘ Why, not for about twenty years – when my husband was alive.’

Submitted by Dr. Steven Swanson-Corvallis , OR

6. I was performing rounds at the hospital one morning and while checking up on a man I asked . . .’ So how’s your breakfast this morning?’ ?It’s very good except for the Kentucky Jelly. I can’t seem to get used to the taste. Bob replied.

I then asked to see the jelly and Bob produced a foil packet labeled ‘KY Jelly.’

Submitted by Dr. Leonard Kransdorf , Detroit ,

7. A nurse was on duty in the Emergency Room when a young woman with purple hair styled into a punk rocker Mohawk, sporting a variety of tattoos, and wearing strange clothing,  entered . . . It was quickly determined that the patient had acute appendicitis, so she was scheduled for immediate surgery..

When she was completely disrobed on the operating table, the staff noticed that her pubic hair had been dyed green and above it there was a tattoo that read . . .’ Keep off the grass.’

Once the surgery was completed, the surgeon wrote a short note on the patient’s dressing, which said ‘Sorry . . . Had to mow the lawn.’

Submitted by RN no name

AND FINALLY!! ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8. As a new, young MD doing his residency in OB.

I was quite embarrassed when performing female pelvic exams… To cover my embarrassment I had unconsciously formed a habit of whistling softly.

The middle-aged lady upon whom I was performing this exam suddenly burst out laughing and further embarrassing me.

I looked up from my work and sheepishly said. . .. ‘ I’m sorry. Was I tickling you?’

She replied with tears running down her cheeks from laughing so hard . . ..

‘ No doctor but the song you were whistling was .. . .

‘ I wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener .’

Dr. Wouldn’t submit his name….

Winter has arrived . . . at least as far as I’m concerned. It was a chilly 41 degrees this morning when we got up – with a chance of  frost (you gotta be kidding me) maybe tomorrow. I don’t even have my coat out of the cedar chest yet!!   Better get it out quick and start airing it on the back porch – or I’m going to be walking around smelling ‘woodsy’ like a cedar forest.

Worked in the yard last weekend – and got so much done. Got out the weed-eater and trimmed everything (front and back), pulled weeds out of the flower beds and did some much needed raking as the leaves are starting to tumble from the old oak in the front yard. I love to burn the leaves – such a wonderful fall smell – but haven’t been able to do that lately as we’re still under a burn ban due to the drought. Maybe if we get some more rain we’ll be able to burn. I sure hope so. If not, I’m tempted to bag up some of those leaves and save them to burn somewhere along the way just so I can enjoy that lovely fall smell.

Bit of a surprise while coming and going getting out the yard tools on Saturday. Can you say snake? Yup – had another snake encounter, only this time it was just the skin. David found the snake ‘shell’ in what we call the ‘back shack’ where we keep yard stuff along with other much needed ‘guy’ stuff like grease guns, metal wall brackets, miscellaneous cans of paint and scraps of wood. The odd part of the whole encounter is that the skin was in a box of tools about 3 feet off the floor. Hmmmmm…. didn’t know that snakes could get that high. Considering that there was nothing under this shelf other than the ground. I have to wonder how he got up there. Guess I’ll need to be more watchful when getting things off of shelves in the future.

I’ve been experimenting with a new shrimp recipe. Lemon-pepper shrimp. These are so easy to make and to eat . . . too easy in fact. But we like them and they make a good compliment to Chinese fried dumplings or if you like, they would make a great appetizer… just pile them up on a plate and let people have at them with toothpicks.

The recipe is below,  if you want to give them a try. Serves 2. (Before I start, I do not measure when I cook – so these are approximate measurements. You may find you want more or less of something.)

Ingredients:

• 24 Medium shrimp, totally peeled and veined
• 1 Heaping tablespoon of corn meal (yellow or white)
• 1-1/2 Heaping tablespoons of flour
• 2 Teaspoons of Lemon-Pepper seasoning
• 1 Teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/4 Medium sized onion thinly sliced
• Dash of salt
• 1-2 Tablespoons of corn oil for frying

Directions:

1.  In a bowl mix together the corn meal, flour, lemon-pepper seasoning, black pepper, and salt.
2. Into the combined mixture add the shrimp and gently toss to coat. Set aside.
3.  In a nonstick skillet place the oil and heat to medium-high. Add in the onion slices and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring once or twice to keep them from burning.
4. With the onions still in the skillet, turn up the heat a little and add in the shrimp. Try not to get any of the left over coating mix that may be left in the bottom of the bowl into the skillet.   Cook the shrimp for a minute or so and stir carefully. You want them to cook quickly but you don’t want them to burn or the coating to fall off. I think I cooked mine for about 3 minutes total. If your shrimp are larger – it will take longer. Just use your own judgement here.
5. Remove the shrimp from the heat once they are done as you don’t want them to continue cooking or they will get tough.

Hope you enjoy them!

And just in case you ever wondered, I’m a very messy cook – take a look at my sink when I finished fixing those shrimp! Please don’t let this deter you from trying them – they really are worth the trouble.

Texas Fall Get-Away

PS – If you’re looking for a Texas get-away this fall, consider a trip to the Lost Maples State Park.  The park is located near the town of Vanderpool.  For information about Lost Maples and Vanderpool – visit Day Trips on This is Our Texas or go directly to the Vanderpool - Lost  Maples page here. 

PPS – Check out I Can’t Believe It’s Sugar Free - I’ve added a couple more recipes.